Mills: Grote Napoleon - Hamme

Windmill "De Grote Napoleon" with house and outbuildings, of which mill protected as a monument by Royal Decree of 28.05.1962 and surroundings protected as a village view by Royal Decree of 20.06.1984.
The only remaining windmill of the numerous windmills that once stood in Hamme. Stone mountain mill, erected as an oil windmill by the ropemakers, the Vermeire brothers, in 1816 together with an entrance gate, warehouse, two houses for workmen and two oil wells. According to land registry records, the mill was sold to P.B. Van Haver in 1866 and converted into a corn windmill; sold in 1874 to A. Van Helsland, from Zeeuws Vlaanderen. The mill was then given the name "de Hollander". However, it was also customary to name the mill after the servant who was a miller; at that time it was called Napoleon, which may have given the mill the name The Great Napoleon.
Since 1889 the mill was owned by the miller family De Vos and this until its sale in 2000 to the Bert Mariman family, baker. The deed of sale of 1889 only mentions the grain windmill. Planned restoration works designed by architect A. Brabants (Waasmunster) approved on 16.08.2007.
Windmill restored in 1974-77 under the direction of architect P. Goethals by mill builder Walter Mariman (Zele). The crown wheel, the bonkelaar, the grinding installation, the vang, the stairs and the ceilings were completely renewed, as well as the sails. New restoration works led by architect A. Brabants and renovation of the surrounding area, including a catering business and artisan bakery, are planned. Currently a grain windmill with one stone couple and a mill with two pairs of grinding stones that are electrically driven.
Windmill site located at the back with access road from the west corner of Posthoornplein and with accompanying yard adjacent to Strijderslaan from where the windmill is fully visible. Imposing upper porter on grazed mill hill, walled at the front to the left and right of the entrance gate and equipped with a brick staircase. Brick conical hull with four levels, a total height of 15 meters and walls of 1 meter thickness on the ground floor; pecked plinth and white-painted cornice and toothed. At the front an entrance gate in the belt with porch under concrete trough vault closed by a wooden gate. On the kruiberg, an arched gate on the north side gives access to the stone attic; Above it are two arched windows with white-painted interiors, under a brick cornice. Similar windows on the east, south and west sides. Fairly flat overhanging roof covered with oak slates, running on a paternoster ring of 40 elm cylindrical rollers. Fairly complicated wheelbarrow reel with double drive option with a rack above it that has to keep the tail at a distance from the fuselage. This tail runs, via braces, against a roller track in the cockpit wall.
The electrically welded flight has a length of 25 meters, has 31 sheaths and a traditional Flemish sheer. Oak shaft with cast iron shaft head, presumably of Brussels manufacture.
Infrastructure: ground floor as a storage room, first floor with electric mill with two grinding chairs with stone couples, one for corn and one for wheat, powered by a 30 hp electric motor. The transmission shaft is driven by a belt transmission. Next to it is a cylinder mill, signed: "Michel § Simons, Jupille – Liège" and a beautiful forged iron balance. On the second floor, there is only one pair of stone artificial stones for grinding with wind.
To the northeast of the windmill is an elongated outbuilding with incorporated entrance gate with passage in the first left bay, dating back to the construction that was erected together with the windmill in 1816. The part with the house in the right bays was probably already changed at the end of the 19th century (confer old postcard). Anchored brick construction under low gable roof (corrugated iron). Anchored frame façade with false joints and with scarce window openings on the street side. Perpendicular to the northwest adjoining house in villa style together with the detached warehouse according to land registry data dating from 1942. In function of the current planned redevelopment, as a visitor centre with cafeteria, museum, artisan bakery with shop, the renovation works have started (2008) in which the existing house and outbuildings will be partly renovated and expanded.

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